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Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

Could Sammy Sosa be returning to play right field in Wrigley Field? No, not as a member of the Cubs, but as a member of the Pirates. An article from a Dominican news service said Pittsburgh is interested in signing Sosa.

According to the article, after signing Joe Randa as its third baseman, the Pirates want to sign one more free agent this winter and now that first choice Eric Byrnes has a tentative agreement with Arizona, Sosa is the primary target.

But a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said there is no indication general manager Dave Littlefield wants the 37-year-old Sosa, who had a star-crossed 2005 season in which he batted .221 with 14 home runs for Baltimore and was tailed by controversy.

Stay tuned.

Another article states that Pittsburgh is interested in Preston Wilson. It looks like Pittsburgh is wasting a lot of money to me.

"My mission is to be the ray of hope, the guy who stands out there on that beautiful field and owns up to his mistakes and lets people know it's never completely hopeless, no matter how bad it seems at the time. I have a platform and a message, and now I go to bed at night, sober and happy, praying I can be a good messenger." -Josh Hamilton

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

I know I am in the majority when I say this, but if it was me, I'd be dealing another OF and then offering Sosa a 1 year 2M contract with incentives that could take him up to about 7M if he had a year like he had 2-3 years back.

If I did that, I would also be reconfiguring my OF as well. Dunn would go to LF, Kearns or Pena (whoever I held onto) would be in CF, Sosa would be in RF and Jr would be at 1B. Of course, Freel would also be my everyday 2B and I'd run a lineup of Freel, Lopez, Dunn, Jr, Pena/Kearns, Sosa, Encarnacion, LaRue out there every day.

If Sosa doesn't get the job done, I let Defornia or Stratton do it or move Freel out there and let Bergolla play 2B. But, I personally believe Sosa has one more good (not great) year left in him and the press of having him and Jr in the same lineup would be worth the risk, not to mention the talent, ideally pitching, that would come back in a Pena or Kearns deal.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

I know I am in the majority when I say this, but if it was me, I'd be dealing another OF and then offering Sosa a 1 year 2M contract with incentives that could take him up to about 7M if he had a year like he had 2-3 years back.

No thanks, the man runs and fields like the monster in Rocky Horror and his batting numbers have dropped like a stone the past 2 years. the man had a .295 OB% last year and made an out over 74% of the time he walked to the plate. He can't leg out doubles anymore(hasn't topped 20 since 2001) and has 3 steals in the past 4 seasons.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

It's like having 2 Adam Dunn's in the OF. Excpet one is younger and can still hit the ball out the park....

It's absolutely pathetic that people can't have an opinion from actually watching games and supplementing that with stats. If you voice an opinion that doesn't fit into a black/white box you will get completely misrepresented and basically called a tobacco chewing traditionalist...

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

The Pirates took on the Casey contract then turned around and signed Randa for what 4 million, according to SI.com? If they bite on Sammy I think that is saying they believe their pitching is strong enough to make a run at the playoffs.

Otherwise it makes no sense taking on these vets at high price with questionable capacity remaining. Perhaps not a lot unlike the Reds last year, except I doubt Dano and Co. really thought the pitching was that good. I think they hoped it was just good enough that an offense that could (at times at least) score like a slow pitch team would see them through.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

Originally Posted by jnwohio

The Pirates took on the Casey contract then turned around and signed Randa for what 4 million, according to SI.com? If they bite on Sammy I think that is saying they believe their pitching is strong enough to make a run at the playoffs.

Otherwise it makes no sense taking on these vets at high price with questionable capacity remaining. Perhaps not a lot unlike the Reds last year, except I doubt Dano and Co. really thought the pitching was that good. I think they hoped it was just good enough that an offense that could (at times at least) score like a slow pitch team would see them through.

Sammy won't help them in a play off run. He is just a name at this point.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

If they sign Sosa my thought is that they are wanting too put "A Name" on the field...if they sign him at a low base contract plus incentives, there are for sure people in Pittsburgh who would buy a ticket too see Sammy play ball...with that in mind it could help them financially.

"Sometimes, it's not the sexiest moves that put you over the top," Krivsky said. "It's a series of transactions that help you get there."

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

Inconceivable!

No team would ever do that **cough**Deion Sanders**. The fans would see right through it **cough**Terry Pendleton**. Management can't be that stupid **cough**Vince Coleman**. Why, than fans would revolt **cough**Ruben Sierra**cough**Pete Rose, Jr.**. And who would they get? **cough**Mike Morgan**cough**Steve Avery**. That's why no one would dare try it **cough**Benito Santiago**cough**Dante Bichette**cough**Hal Morris**.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

So far I like what the Pirates are doing. This would end those feelings. Craig Wilson will outproduce Sammy Sosa if healthy, so this move makes no sense from a baseball standpoint. I agree with the Derek Bell analogy...the Pirates have been down this road before and it leads to a sudden cliff drop to hell. A lineup of Casey, Castillo, J.Wilson, Randa, Bay, Duffy, and C.Wilson with the pitching the Pirates have is enough to compete IMO.

Re: Sammy Sosa back to NL Central (Pittsburgh)?

Originally Posted by Redsland

Inconceivable!

No team would ever do that **cough**Deion Sanders**. The fans would see right through it **cough**Terry Pendleton**. Management can't be that stupid **cough**Vince Coleman**. Why, than fans would revolt **cough**Ruben Sierra**cough**Pete Rose, Jr.**. And who would they get? **cough**Mike Morgan**cough**Steve Avery**. That's why no one would dare try it **cough**Benito Santiago**cough**Dante Bichette**cough**Hal Morris**.

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